


Kitten

by SCUBACatwoman



Category: Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye
Genre: Alternate Ending, Angst, Anti’s emotional state is all over the place, Blood, Bonus Chapter, Brainwashing, Chase just found a new son, Dehumanization, Depression, Fluff, Hallucinations, Henrik said some things that he regrets, How Do I Tag, Lots of Angst, M/M, Master/Pet dynamic (it's not sexual I swear), Self-Harm, Starvation, Stockholm Syndrome, Suicide, Torture, Vomiting, i'll update tags as I post, marvin has cat ears, rated M for violence and some topics, this is why i can't have nice things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:15:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 9,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26703550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SCUBACatwoman/pseuds/SCUBACatwoman
Summary: Marvin gets captured by a gang called the Midnight Devils. That's the plot. The rest is just angst, angst, and more angst. Oh, and a little bit of character backstory headcanoning.TRIGGER WARNINGS in tags.My alternative title for this was the Angst Corner.
Relationships: Antisepticeye & Jameson Jackson (brothers), Antisepticeye/Marvin The Magnificent, Chase Brody/Henrik von Schneeplestein, Jackieboyman & Marvin the Magnificent (twins)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Small note: Damon is NOT Dark, before anyone asks. Also, the Mature rating is for stuff in the future.  
> Also, TRIGGER WARNING for stuff in the tags (sorry I forgot)

Jonathan smirked at his partner as he walked in front of Carlos and Daniel, who were dragging Marvin between them. “How long do you think it will take before this kitten breaks?”

Connor shrugged. “I’ll give him a week. You?”

“Hmmm. 2 weeks. He looks tough.”

Daniel used his free hand to pinch Marvin’s ear, which was currently flattened against his head.

Marvin hissed at him, but could do nothing as the man grabbed the sensitive skin and pinched  _ hard _ .

Carlos laughed when Marvin yowled, eyes flashing silver as his magic rose to the surface. Dull iron armlets glowed dimly as they deflected the power back into Marvin’s body. He let go of Marvin’s ear and sneered, “weakling,” as they shoved Marvin into the cell.

“What’s going on here?” A sharp voice rang out. The men stepped aside, allowing two suited men to walk through. The man on the right spoke. “Johnathan, Connor, go back to your posts. Carlos and Daniel, go to your offices. There’s work to be done.”

The other man’s gaze swept over Marvin’s body, and Marvin shuddered.

The first man chuckled and turned to his partner. “He’s pretty, isn’t he, Damon?” He stroked a hand down Marvin’s cheek, and Marvin snapped his teeth, sinking sharp canines into the man’s skin. The man ripped his hand out of Marvin’s mouth, backhanding him hard enough that he saw stars. He towered over Marvin, ready to strike him once again, but Damon put a hand on his shoulder.

“There’s no need to torture him right now, Maximus.” Damon’s voice was a smooth baritone. Then he directed his attention to Marvin. “You  _ will _ learn your place here. You are a pet and nothing but a pet. You are  _ my _ pet.”

Marvin spat Maximus’s blood out of his mouth. “In your dreams.”

Maximus’s hand whipped across his face again, and Marvin’s head snapped to the side.

“As I said, you will learn your place.” Damon turned and walked out of Marvin’s cell, Maximus stalking out behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Marvin shivered, pulling his cloak tighter around his body. The magic-resistant armlets encircling his forearms were preventing him from shifting or spell-casting himself free.

The door to his cell swung open, and he kept his head high as he was dragged out. He refused to break at the hands of these men.

His hands were shackled to the table in front of him, his palms face up. He watched as Max pulled a rod down from a rack, swishing it around for dramatic flair. Then he brought it down with a  _ swoosh _ , striking Marvin’s hand. Marvin grimaced, but didn’t let himself cry out. He could take this.

“I’d like to take this time to remind you who you are. You are your masters’ pet. Now let me ask you—who are you?”

“My name is Marvin the Magnificent, and I’m no one’s pet.”

The second strike landed on his other hand, and blood welled to the surface of his palm.

Marvin refused to make a sound.

“Who are you?”

“I told you, I’m Marvin the Magnificent.”

They repeated this 7 or 8 more times, the blows becoming stronger with each swing.

“ _ Who are you? _ ”

Marvin panted lightly through his teeth. “I’m Marvin the Magnificent, fucker.”

Max screamed in anger at Marvin’s response, and whipped the cane across his face. A startled cry escaped Marvin; he could feel blood already dripping from the stinging cut. His turquoise eyes glowed silver as his magic struggled to escape, but the armlets prevented it from doing so.

Meanwhile, Max observed Marvin’s reaction and mentally catalogued it. He began to wipe the cane clean, eying the deep gashes in his captive’s hands. He had to admit, he was stronger than he looked; the brace that had been on his leg was clearly misleading. His eyes flicked to the rippling burn scars across his face, and an idea popped into his head.

Marvin watched as he exited the room and waited until the lock clicked behind him. Then he moved into action.

He shifted the key he had clenched in his teeth so that the end was sticking out, and ducked his head down to insert it in the lock of the shackle. He kept his ears trained at the door while he worked; he really didn’t want to be caught. With a satisfying click, the first cuff unlocked, and he grinned.  _ They don’t call me Magnificent for my party tricks _ .

He quickly began unlocking the second when he heard keys jangling in the door.  _ Shit, time to get out of here. _ He knew a few tricks that could get him out of a pinch, but without his brace, things would be a bit trickier. The second cuff unlocked and he strained to summon what little magic he could to form a smoke cloud. He limped as fast as he could towards the door.

Suddenly, a hand shot out and the man caught him by the throat, slamming his body to the ground. Black spots danced across his vision and he clawed at Max’s arm, desperate to draw in a breath. The man only squeezed his throat tighter, and the corners of Marvin’s vision began to darken. He continued to fight, though he could feel consciousness slipping from his grasp, and his scratching quickly became kitten scrabbles. The last thing he saw was Maximus reaching back for something behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I changed my update schedule.  
> Also, just wanted to do a lil' character introduction, so that's why this chapter exists.

Marvin woke with a pounding headache.

He peeled himself slowly off the ground, small groans escaping as his weight settled on his hands, and he let his back rest against the wall. His hands would scar, but he hadn’t lost functionality in them at least.

His throat felt dry, and his attempt to swallow turned into a coughing fit as he was suddenly reminded of his near-death strangling. He froze when he suddenly realized he could barely sense his magic. Glowing runes decorated the surface of the new armlets, and he could feel them actively working to suppress it.

Someone shifted outside his door.

Marvin hissed at the young man standing in front of his cell door. His ears flattened themselves to the sides of his head, and a growl rumbled low in his throat. The man held his hands up placatingly.

“I’m not here to hurt you. My name is Robbie.”

“So what. I don’t care.”

In the dim lighting, Marvin could see he was pale, with brown or black hair, and was wearing khaki pants and a black and white striped shirt.

“I just want to help. Please? Here, take this.” He slid a small tin into the cell, and Marvin backed away from it, wincing as his hands scraped along the stone floor. “It’s not going to hurt you, promise.”

Marvin sniffed cautiously at the contents of the can before deeming it safe and applying it to the marks on his hands. He glared at him, distrust evident in his eyes. “Why are you helping me?”

Robbie shrugged. “I want out. I was stupid, and joined the gang a year ago, and now I regret it. I figured you could help me.”

Marvin slid the container back over, and Robbie quickly stuffed it into his pocket. “Damn right you were stupid joining this gang. What even were you thinking?”

Robbie sighed. “I wasn’t. I–.” He cut himself off when he heard footsteps approaching, and scrambled to his feet.

Daniel walked up to Robbie and cuffed the side of his head. “Stop talking to the pet.”

“Sorry sir.”

“You’re dismissed. Go upstairs and find something to entertain yourself with.” He took Robbie’s spot at the door.

“Yes sir.” Robbie nodded and left.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jameson and Anti are brothers.  
> Do I need a tag for possible depression?

Anti stared blankly at the ceiling. _Where was he, where was he?_ He shifted onto his side and curled up.

Jameson sat down next to his older brother, signing, “He’s alive. I know he is,” before wrapping his arm around him.

He pulled out his pocket watch and showed it Anti. The hands were ticking away at a steady pace, and Anti tilted his head, confused. “I don’t get it. It’s a pocket watch.”

“Yes, but it’s a magic pocket watch. I bought it from a blind man a couple years back, and he said I would need it in the future.” His little brother explained.

“Anti, Jameson, come down and eat.” Henrik stood in the doorway. His face was stern, but Anti could see the stress and worry hidden in his eyes.

The two brothers walked into the dining room. Anti slumped in his chair and picked at his food. _He doesn’t feel like eating._ He stood up and moved to scrape his plate into the trash can.

Henrik’s eyes flashed. “Anti, sit down and eat your dinner.”

Anti gave Henrik a flat stare. “I’m not hungry.”

“Antisepticeye, if you do not sit down and eat your goddamn food, I will–”

“What, you’ll do what? What more could anyone possibly do to hurt me more?” He glitched over to come face to face with Henrik. “Tell me, what could you say to hurt me even more?” His voice raised to a shout.

Chase shot up, the legs of his chair screeching. “Stop it, both of you. Anti, you need to eat, and Henrik, you need to cool it. Fighting will do nothing for us right now. We are all stressed, but we all need to work together. I will not allow this family to fall apart, not when Marvin needs us.”

“You are inattentive and careless, and it’s no wonder Marvin was taken from you.” Henrik spat.

Anti recoiled as if he had been slapped. Pixels floated away from his body as he began glitching violently. Shudders wracked his body as he tried to withhold tears. Chase pulled Anti into a tight embrace, stroking a hand through his hair. “It’s not your fault, Anti. You couldn’t have known that Marvin would be taken.” At his words, Anti broke down fully, tucking his face into Chase’s chest as he cried. “But I could have done something to prevent it. I should have stayed at his side. T-then at least he wouldn’t be alone,” Anti hiccuped.

Chase held on to Anti while he cried, murmuring comforting and reassuring words to him. Eventually, Anti fell asleep in Chase’s arms, and he carried Anti up to his room. After tucking the glitch in, he sighed and went to find Henrik.

——————

Chase leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. “You need to apologize to Anti.”

Henrik raked a hand through his hair. “Shit, I really went too far, didn’t I?”

“I’m not the one you need to say that to.” Chase uncrossed his arms and walked over to wrap his arms around the doctor.

Henrik’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. “I know, it’s just so hard sometimes.”

Chase pressed a kiss against his forehead. “We’ll sort this out in the morning, ok?” He lifted Henrik’s chin up so he could look into his eyes. “Let’s go to bed and get some sleep. We both need it right now.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is absolute garbage… so I'm posting two more…

Marvin’s hands clenched at his sides as he tried to ignore the throbbing in his head. He knew that the marks on his forehead, the four card suits, were most likely glowing in response to his magic needing out. The runes on his armlets glowed faintly in the darkness.

Robbie’s eyes slid over to Marvin. “Who’s Anti?”

“Who’s he to you?” Marvin said defensively.

“You were crying out for him last night.”

“He’s my boyfriend,” he replied.

“Oh.” Robbie quieted, taking a moment to process the information.

“Don’t you have anyone to go to?” Marvin asked, curious.

“No, they disowned me when I joined the gang.” Robbie paused. “What about you? Isn’t anybody coming for you?”

“They should be coming soon.”

“How are they going to get you out? There’s seven of us total.”

“My family has its ways. Hey, when we get out, maybe you could come with us.”

Robbie seemed to perk up at the statement. “Really?”

“Yeah, but we’re going to have to escape soon.” He gestured at the glowing symbols on his forehead. “My magic needs an outlet, and right now, the armlets are preventing it from getting out.”

“What happens if it doesn’t get out?”

Marvin sighed. His head hurt and he really didn’t feel like answering any more questions. “It’ll kill me.” He said bluntly, and tried to make himself comfortable on the stone floor. He knew he wasn’t going to make it out alive. His food tray slid through the flap in the door, but he ignored it. His magic was already reaching unstable levels, and he could sense that soon, the release would become fatal.

He leaned his head back against the wall.  _ They’re coming _ , he reminded himself.  _ They’re coming _ .


	6. Chapter 6

Jackie limped home, bruises covering his body. He’d been sloppy, distracted by thoughts of his brother, and most of the thugs had escaped. He’d also gotten a metal baseball bat to the side of the head, and everything was tilting kind of funny, making it hard to think properly. The hero almost walked past his house twice, and knocked when he finally made it up the steps.

Henrik opened the door, stress creasing his face. He offered Jackie his shoulder, and together they made their way to his office.

Jackie hissed when Henrik shined a light in his eyes, and pulled his head away.

Henrik frowned, running a hand through his hair. “You have a concussion, Jackie. You know what that means. No patrolling for the next week.”

Jackie shot up, ignoring how much he swayed on his feet and the black spots that danced across his vision. “Henrik, you know I can’t do that.”

“You can and you will.” Henrik shot back.

Jackie growled and slammed his hand into the table. ”You can’t stop me.”

A dangerous look entered Henrik’s eyes, and Jackie backed down.

“Jackie, I will not hesitate to sedate and restrain you if I have to. Every day, I watch you leave, and every day, you come back looking worse and worse. Please, I can’t lose you, too.” His voice cracked.

And just like that, the weight of the entire world seemed to crash down on Henrik’s shoulders, and his expression crumpled. Tears began to flow heavily down his face as he cried. He curled in on himself, sinking to the floor.

Jackie wrapped his arms around Henrik. “Shhh, I’ll stay, ok? I’ll stay.”

The doctor sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “Promise?”

“Promise.” Jackie gave Henrik a reassuring squeeze.

——————

Jackie found Anti on the balcony, gazing up at the stars. He meandered over and sat down beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders.

“Why’re you here?” Anti spoke without looking at him.

Jackie gestured at his head. “Concussion. Promised Henrik that I wouldn’t go out.”

The glitch looked at him and he could see unshed tears in his eyes. “How long until you can go back out?”

The hero hesitated before answering. “A week.”

Anti broke down, clutching Jackie’s shirt.  _ He just wanted him back, why couldn’t he have him back? It’s not fair _ .

Anti took a shuddering breath, clinging to Jackie as if he was a lifeline.

“We’ll find him, I promise.” Steely determination entered his eyes.  _ He’s going to find him, no matter how long it takes. _


	7. Chapter 7

Marvin groaned as he curled himself into a ball. His entire body ached as it struggled to contain his magic. It needed an outlet, and it’s been… how long? It hurt too much to think about when he last used it. His eyes, once a pretty turquoise, glowed silver now; he couldn’t prevent his magic from showing even if he tried.

A tray slid into the room, and he dragged himself over to it. He managed to choke down a few bites before shoving it away. He wasn’t hungry. He pulled himself back to the corner and curled up.

——————

Marvin shot awake, nausea gripping his stomach, and vomited onto the stone floor. The meals, if they could be called that, nowadays couldn’t be kept down for more than a couple hours. It was just another way that his magic was reminding him that it needed  _ out _ .

Connor stood at his cell door and gave him a sympathetic look. His footsteps echoed down the hallway as he left momentarily, only to return with a cup of water. Marvin accepted it gratefully and rinsed the aftertaste from his mouth. He lifted a wrist to wipe his lips and he tried not to notice how much thinner it was. His other hand dragged through his long hair, and he didn’t want to dwell on how bad his hair was.

Keys jangled in the door, and Max stood at the entrance. “Time for our session kitten. Are you ready to give in yet?”

Marvin snarled at him and flattened his ears against his head.

Max grinned. “I didn’t think so.” He clipped a set of cuffs around Marvin’s wrists and dragged him out of the cell. “Let’s go.”

——————

Max’s breath was hot against his skin as he pushed Marvin against the wall. “You have such fire in you. But how much will it take for that flame to go out?” A malicious glint entered his eyes, and he grinned. “How about we try fighting fire with fire?”

Marvin’s eyes widened as he realized what he was planning to do. He was dimly aware that he had started shaking as he relieved memories of a burning room and searing pain.

They dragged him into a room with a large wooden frame in the middle and chained him there.

Marvin screamed as the glowing tip of the iron was lowered against his leg. The scent of burning flesh filled his nose while his magic writhed under his skin, begging to be released. He vomited onto Max, earning himself a blow across his face.

“P-please s-stop. P-please stop, m-” he cut himself off.

“No, go on,” Damon crooned. “You can say it.” He nodded at Max to continue, and he lowered the poker again. “Say it.”

Marvin’s eyes hardened. “I said, go to hell, motherfucker.”

This time, the metal was dragged down his back, and his magic surged to the surface as he screamed until his voice broke.

“I must confess, I didn’t think that breaking you would be this much fun. All you have to do is break for us, kitten, and all this pain will go away.”

Marvin let out a dead laugh. He felt dizzy, though whether it was from the blow to the head or from blood loss, he wasn’t sure.

“They’re not coming, are they? They’ve probably forgotten all about you.  _ He’s _ probably forgotten about you.”

Marvin shook his head but the words sunk into his head, leaving a seed of doubt in his mind.

Max unchained him from the frame and threw him towards Jonathan and Carlos. “Take him back to his cell. No food or water for the next three days. We’ll see how he does from there. Oh, and don’t let Robbie get near him.”

——————

Marvin huddled in the corner of his cell, trying to ignore the hunger clawing at his stomach. A flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned his head towards it. His eyes widened when he saw Anti sitting beside him and he reached out a hand. Anti’s face twisted into a snarl and he moved away.

_ You’re worthless. Weak. Pathetic _ . He hissed into his ear. His green eyes held nothing but disgust in them.  _ You can’t even break through a couple of flimsy wards. _ Jackie appeared beside him.  _ I can’t believe you’re my brother. Powerless. _

Marvin curled his fingers around his arms as he tried to block out their voices, but the words echoed in his head. He screamed and clawed at his arms, wanting desperately to get the armlets  _ off _ . He dug his fingernails deep into his skin, leaving deep, bloody gouges in their wake. Crimson rivulets created small pools on the floor.

He continued to yank at the armlets even when he heard someone shout at him to stop. Robbie grabbed his face in his hands while Connor pinned his wrists at his sides, and Marvin’s struggles weakened as exhaustion took hold of his body. He felt a hand gently stroke his hair, and silver eyes met dark ones.

“R-robbie, I-I  _ need _ out, it wants  _ out _ ,” he whimpered.

Robbie wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve. “I know, we’ll get out soon. I promise.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm posting this chapter, and because I'm kinda anxious to get stuff for this out. Also, my dad recently blocked this site at home, and I hate updating from my phone.

Marvin was roused by Robbie shaking his shoulder.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Max and Damon are out, and the others are playing poker upstairs.” He walked out the door, expecting Marvin to follow him, only to turn right back around when he realized he hadn’t.

“Robbie,” Marvin hissed. “We forgot the one very important detail that I can’t  _ walk _ without my brace.”

Robbie offered Marvin his shoulder to lean on and they slowly made their way down the hall. They got about halfway up the stairs when they ran into Connor, who was making his way downstairs to give Marvin his food. The two froze, staring at him.

Connor stepped aside and whispered, “Good luck,” before continuing down the steps.

Robbie tugged on Marvin, and they got to the top of the stairs. They exited the building as quietly as they could when an alarm blared loudly.

“Shit, shit, shit, I thought I disabled the alarm system,” Robbie cried as they heard footsteps rushing towards them.

Marvin gritted his teeth and reached for his magic, wanting to cast a teleportation spell, but the armlets prevented him from doing anything. He felt hands grab him and pull him away from Robbie, and his eyes briefly met Connor’s apologetic ones before he was roughly thrown to the ground.

He heard Damon and Max’s dark laughs from behind him, and he watched in horror as Carlos and Jonathan grabbed Robbie. He thrashed in Connor and Daniel’s grips until they managed to pin him down.

Max pulled his knife out of its sheath, and stalked over to the boy. With a thrust, the blade found its place in Robbie’s chest, and he slumped to the ground.

Marvin screamed, and tears cascaded down his cheeks as he cried “I’m sorry” over and over again.

Max stalked over to him and grabbed his hair, dragging his head up. “You’re a failure. No wonder why your so-called family hasn’t come to save you yet. You failed them, and you failed Robbie. Such a shame, really. He shouldn’t have had to die so young. But you corrupted him, and he had to pay for your mistakes.”

Marvin sobbed as he stared at Robbie’s lifeless body on the ground, and he felt something in his chest crack. Max snorted in amusement at his agony, and Connor and Daniel dragged him back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I b̴̨̜̞̱̦͆̊r̸̙̭͎̺̞͚̅͒̊͊̆͝ẽ̶̩̽͂̆̾̚͝a̴̻͎͂̉̂̍̈́̓k̶͙̼͊̿́̑͊̄̚ everything I touch?


	9. Chapter 9

Blood trickled from Marvin’s nose and other various areas of his body as he hung suspended between the wooden posts. His right eye was swollen shut, and his vision was hazy in the left. His tattered clothes draped loosely over his already too-skinny frame. New, more powerful, armlets glowed brightly around his forearms. _He’s tired of fighting. Nobody’s coming for him, so why bother resisting? It’s his fault Robbie is dead. The boy would’ve loved his new family, and now he’s gone. At least they buried his body, or at least that’s what Connor told him._

Somebody spoke, and he could barely keep his head up for the two seconds it took for him to respond.

“Who are you?” _It’s always the same questions, over and over again._

“I’m your kitten,” he responded tiredly. The flame that fueled him is now no more than a tiny ember.

“And who am I?” Damon demanded.

“You’re my master.” Marvin’s voice was empty.

“You’re going to be the perfect pet.” Max laughed, the sound full of cruel amusement. Damon stroked Marvin’s hair and jerked his head at Max to unchain him.

Marvin crumpled to the floor, landing harshly on his hands and knees. Damon gently lifted him up, looping one arm under his legs and the other around his back. He carried him into an oversized bathroom, setting him down on the floor next to a marble tub against the wall. While he waited for the water to warm, he stripped Marvin of his clothes, discarding them in the corner. When he was satisfied with the temperature of the water, he picked him back up, placing him in the tub. He used a cup to pour water through Marvin’s tangled hair, working his fingers through the knots. Then he squirted sweet-scented shampoo onto his hands, and gently massaged it into his scalp. Marvin leaned into the touch, purring softly as Damon washed his hair. His eye slipped shut and he rested his chin on his knees.

Damon finished with his hair and moved on to scrubbing his body clean, the water clouding quickly from the amount of filth covering him. He had to drain and refill the tub three times before he was satisfied. He emptied the tub, leaving Marvin shivering in the cool air. When he returned, he was carrying towels, a med kit, and a bag of ice. Marvin whimpered and pressed himself against the side of the marble basin, fully expecting him to dump it on him just to hear him suffer.

Damon shushed his pet, kneeling down beside him and gently pressing the ice to his closed eye. He guided his pet’s hand to the bag to hold it while he toweled him dry. Once he was sure he was dry, he opened the kit, pulling out the antiseptic and bandages. His pet flinched when he applied the antiseptic, and he stroked his hair soothingly before he continued. He talked as he worked, praising his kitten for being so still and obedient. When he finished, he wiped cream on his cuts and burns and wrapped the bandages around them.

Then he helped him stand up out of the tub and guided him into the room across the hall. He sat his pet down on the bed and moved the ice away from his eye. He grimaced. _He shouldn’t have let Max hit his kitten so hard_. Sighing, he placed the ice back on his pet’s eye, and walked to the closet. He sifted through the nightclothes, before pulling out a dark green set. He looked it over and shook his head, and selected a white nightshirt and pants instead. He dressed his kitten quickly, making sure he was comfortable, before tucking him under the covers.

“Goodnight kitten,” he said, and shut the door.

——————

Marvin woke with a start, crying out for someone with a name that he couldn’t remember. His Master rushed into his room and sat down on the bed beside him. He curled into his Master’s side.

“Hush, pet. What’s troubling you?” Damon stroked Marvin’s hair gently and tilted his head up to face him. He used his sleeve to wipe away his tears, and Marvin sniffed. “Pet, what’s bothering you?”

Marvin didn’t answer and tucked his face against his Master’s shirt.

“It’s ok, kitten. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Just try to let your mind go _blank_.” Marvin felt his thoughts empty from his head and he closed his eyes, not quite remembering why he was crying, only that he was. His Master continued to pet Marvin’s hair, and eventually, Marvin fell into an exhaustion-driven sleep.

Damon sighed. _He’d have to work on his pet’s memory tomorrow_.

——————

When Marvin woke the next morning, he instinctively pressed himself against the warmth he felt beside him. _This feels familiar—why does it feel familiar?_

Then he felt it move, and he opened his eyes, or rather, eye (the other was still swelled shut). His Master’s face came into focus above him.

“Good morning, pet.”

Marvin let out a small whine as the right side of his face throbbed.

“What’s wrong kitten?” His Master’s brow furrowed and he pushed his hair off of his forehead. His hand brushed Marvin’s black eye and he whimpered. “I’m sorry pet. How about we go to the kitchen for breakfast and then I’ll get you some ice, ok?”

Marvin nodded. Someone knocked on the door, and his Master stood up. “I’ll be right back.” He walked to the door and opened it. Max stood in the doorway, holding Marvin’s brace. He handed it to him and left without a word.

His Master helped him strap it on his left leg, and he took a few experimental steps to get used to it again. Then his stomach growled and his Master laughed.

“Come pet. Let’s get some breakfast and something for your eye.” He led him into the kitchen and gestured for him to sit on the stool.

Marvin took the bag of ice that was offered to him, pressing it against his eye. It numbed the pain slightly but made him aware of a new ache behind his temples. He rubbed at his forehead absentmindedly.

His Master set down a gold box in front of him and scratched behind his ear. “Open it, pet.”

Marvin lifted the lid of the present and stared at the contents of the box. His Master guided him over to a mirror, and Marvin watched with a blank expression as he gently lifted his hair and fastened the jeweled collar around his neck.

“Thank you Master,” he heard himself say.

“Of course,” Damon replied. “Obedient kittens always get rewards.” He scratched behind Marvin’s ear again, and Marvin let himself purr.

_It’s so much easier to obey._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scream at me all you want in the comments. Go ahead. Do it. (I'm legitimately interested in hearing people's thoughts about this chapter)  
> This chapter popped up into my head when I realized that I was missing the psychology aspect of torture. Also psychology in general is a very interesting topic to me, so…  
> Guys, Damon's whole dynamic even confuses me, and I wrote him into existence, so…  
> Also, I fucking hate myself for writing this line: Marvin woke with a start, crying out for someone with a name that he couldn’t remember.  
> I'm also gonna post just whenever I feel like/whenever I can. At least my parents and I came up with a compromise about website privileges.


	10. Chapter 10

Damon entered the meeting room, his pet trailing behind him on his leash. He sat down at the table, his pet standing behind him.

Dark’s eyes flicked over to Marvin, scanning his appearance. He tensed slightly at the bruise closing his right eye, and he could see the emptiness in his other eye. He adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. He had known Damon was a gang leader, but he never thought he would be bold enough to take a Septic, much less break one. Chances were, that he didn’t truly know who Marvin was, only that he was a powerful magician. He cleared his throat again and began the meeting.

After the meeting, Damon approached him. “I noticed you were eyeing my new pet. Do you like him? He’s very obedient.”

Dark forced himself to unclench his jaw and replied, “He does seem quite obedient. Though, what happened to his face?”

Damon chuckled and reached up a hand to scratch behind Marvin’s ear. “I must say, he was quite hard to break. Put up quite a fight, too. He almost escaped a couple weeks ago, which is where he got the bruise from.”

Dark watched as Marvin relaxed into Damon’s hand. “He seems so docile now.”

Damon continued to pet Marvin. “Yes he is. He is such a wonderful pet.” He checked his watch. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”

Damon left, Marvin trailing behind him.

* * *

Dark strode up to the door and knocked.

Jackieboyman stuck his head out and sighed. “Hey Dark, what’s up?”

Dark folded his hands behind his back and spoke. “It’s about Marvin.”

Jackie frowned and stepped outside, closing the door behind him. In the light, Dark could see the shadows under his eyes.

“Listen,” Jackie said. “If this is some kind of sick joke or something, I swear I’ll kick your manipulative ass from here back to your mansion. Anti’s probably listening to us right now, so don’t give us false hope.”

“I saw him today in my meeting. He was with one of my associates, Damon.” He pulled out his phone and unlocked it, showing Jackie the photo of Marvin he had taken while Damon wasn’t paying attention. Jackie snatched the phone away, staring at the screen. His expression morphed into one of fury, and Dark quickly took back his phone before the superhero shattered it.

“Why didn’t you bring him back?” Jackie growled.

“I can’t just murder someone in front of a dozen other people and kidnap the person they arrived with.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” the hero spat. “You were too afraid to damage your reputation, that’s why. And thanks to you, my brother is still in the hands of a monster.”

Dark stepped forward, flipping his hair out of his eyes. His shell cracked briefly, allowing two other versions of himself to appear. “Look at me, hero. My reputation was the least of my concerns at that moment. Damon is the leader of five other highly trained gang members. If I had acted then, I would have put the lives of everyone, including your brother, at risk.”

Jackie’s shoulders slumped. “I know, I just want my brother back. I’m supposed to be the hero, but I can’t even save my own brother.” He ran a hand through his hair, tugging harshly at the ends of it.

Dark placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t do something then. But if the opportunity comes again, I promise I will do what I can to bring him back.” He stiffened when the hero embraced him.

“Thank you, Dark. Thank you for telling me, and thank you for giving us hope.”

Dark patted Jackie’s back awkwardly. The hero let go of him slowly and walked back through the doorway. He closed the door, and Dark straightened his suit. _He has work to do_.

* * *

Jackie slammed his laptop shut and raced to Anti’s room. Dark had forwarded him an email from the Midnight Devils, and he needed Anti to trace it. He ignored the glitch’s protests as he burst through the door and sat on the bed, hurriedly opening the lid of the computer.

“Dark’s got more information on him.”

Anti scrambled over, taking it in his hands as he scrolled through the email. On the screen was a picture of Marvin, a collar around his neck and a vacant look in his eyes. Beside him stood a man in a suit, his head high and a smug expression on his face. The caption under the picture read: _Finally broke in our new pet. Took some time and significant energy, but we did it._

“Anti, can you try to trace this to where it came from?”

“Already on it.” His image flickered slightly as he searched.

Anti nearly snorted when he made it easily through their security system. _For being such a notorious gang, they sure do have shit security system._ He quickly found the location, sending it directly to Jackie’s computer.

A growl ripped its way out of his throat when he stumbled across ‘progress’ reports on Marvin, a wave of corruption causing the computer to spark. _He was going to tear those bastards limb from limb_. Then he left, frying the system on the way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It legit took me forever to come up with a bullshit excuse for Dark not doing anything.  
> The real reason: plot


	11. Chapter 11

Marvin stretched, yawning. There was a warm spot in the space next to him where his Master had started sleeping ever since he had found out that Marvin’s nightmares were keeping him awake at night. He ground the heel of his hand against his forehead, where there seemed to be an ever-present headache, and sighed. He strapped on his brace and made his way into the kitchen.

——————

When his pet walked in, Damon noticed that his eye was open slightly. “Kitten, do you mind if I check your eye?”

His pet hesitated and then nodded. Damon used his thumb and forefinger to gently pry his eye open further, and his kitten let out a slight noise of discomfort when light entered his eye. He watched his pupil contract and he felt relief knowing that his pet wasn’t permanently damaged. He scratched behind his kitten’s ear, and he purred, nuzzling into his hand. Damon smiled and continued to pet him for a few minutes, and then he stood up and went to his room to grab a book.

——————

Marvin stood up and walked over to the window. Birds hopped around in the yard and his ears flicked in amusement as he watched them.  _ Funny, he can remember one time when he— _ . He didn’t get to finish the thought as a wave of dizziness swept over him.

Marvin swayed on his feet as he tried to blink spots out of his eyes. His Master gave him a concerned look, closing his book.

“Pet, are you ok?”

Marvin nodded and almost lost his balance as the room tilted and spun around him.

His Master walked over, putting a hand on his back as he guided him to the couch.

“Master, ’m alright,” he protested.

Damon frowned when the words came out slurred. He put a hand on Marvin’s forehead and cursed at the heat he felt there.

Marvin tried to stand up, but another round of dizziness washed over him and he fell back onto the cushions.

“Come pet, let’s get you to bed.” His Master’s words were gentle in his ears.

Marvin felt himself being picked up and he had to fight a wave of nausea at the movement. He closed his eyes and rested his head against his Master’s chest as a fog settled over his mind.

Damon frowned when he felt his kitten’s body go limp. He placed his hand on his forehead again, and swore when he found that his temperature had risen. His kitten’s brows furrowed and he cried out names that Damon didn’t recognize. Damon stroked his hair as he walked, and his kitten’s cries quieted. His ears flicked intermittently as he continued to mumble slurred words and names.

He set his pet on the bed and pulled out his phone, sending Max a quick text.


	12. Chapter 12

Marvin dragged his eyelids open and let out a quiet moan as the pressure in his head increased. His Master placed something cool and damp on his forehead, telling him to rest, and consciousness ripped itself from his grasp again.

When he rose back to awareness, he saw a woman in a nurse’s outfit enter the room. She had shoulder-length golden-brown hair and a heart-shaped pendant around her neck.

“Hey honey, how are you feeling?”

Marvin only whimpered when another bolt of pain streaked through his head.

“Not good, huh?” She sat down beside him and put a hand on his forehead. “Honey, you’re burning up.”

Marvin could hear a rustling noise, and then she pulled a thermometer out of a bag that he didn’t notice earlier. “Can you open your mouth for me?” He obeyed, and she stuck it under his tongue. She waited a minute before pulling it out.

Her eyes widened as she read the number, and she turned to his Master. “He needs to go to the hospital.”

His Master’s eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms. “No.”

“Can we take this into the hallway please?”

——————

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

“Well you’re–” Max started.

She held up her hand. “Let me finish. He has a fever, but you already know that. Since I can’t diagnose him, I can’t prescribe him any medications, but I recommend that you give him plenty of fluids. Make sure that he eats, too. If this is a virus, then his body will need the energy to fight it off. I personally think that he should go to the hospital, but since you refuse, I can’t do anything.” She walked back into the room to where her patient was laying. “Stay strong, ok honey?”

She left, giving Max and Damon one last glare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know medical stuff, so if something doesn't make any sense, that's why.


	13. Chapter 13

Sylvia Helvesta parked her car and hurried into the hospital for her shift.

“Hello Sylvia.” Henrik greeted her as she entered.

“Hi, sorry I’m late. I got called out to see a new patient. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him though, which is why it took me so long to get here.” She tied her hair back as she spoke.

Henrik frowned. “Strange. You usually figure out what’s wrong with a patient within a few minutes of meeting them.”

“I know, which is why I’m worried about this one. His family also refused to let him come here to be examined.” She glanced at her watch and bit back a curse. “I’ll tell you more after my shift, ok?” Then she rushed out the door.

——————

Henrik handed her a coffee cup when she returned.

“Thanks.” She tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear and took a grateful sip.

“So, what is so strange about your new patient?” Henrik asked, intrigued.

“Well, he clearly wasn’t normal. He had a fever that was well above normal levels, and his eyes were silver, although sometimes they flickered turquoise. I think he said your name at one point, although I’m not sure if that’s just a coincidence or not. But that wasn’t the strangest thing. The strangest thing was his ears.” She glanced at Henrik and noticed that his face had paled and his eyes were wide.

“What about his ears?”

“He had cat ears.  _ Cat _ ears.”

Henrik stood up quickly and started pacing, muttering in German. Sylvia could recognize a few words that he said, but most were foreign to her. Then he halted and threw his arms around her. She froze.

“Thank you,” he said, and bolted out the door.


	14. Chapter 14

Henrik raced home, nearly throwing the door off its hinges with the force that he opened it at.

“Jackie, wir müssen jetzt gehen.”

The hero stared at him blankly, and he cursed and tried again. “Jackie, we need to go now. Marvin is sick, and from the sound of it, it’s not the normal type.”

Jackie’s face hardened. “Alright, let me get my gear. You go get the others.”

Henrik nodded. He raced to the others’ rooms, telling each of them to get ready.

——————

They burst through the entryway, and immediately came across two men.

Anti growled at them and brandished his knife. “Get out of the way. Unless you want to die.”

One of the men pulled out a gun and pointed it at the glitch. “No.”

Chase’s hand moved unconsciously to his hip and Anti raised his knife, when the other man suddenly slipped a blade out of his boot and whirled around, blade flashing across the gun-wielding man’s throat.

“My name is Connor. I can take you to your friend,” the brown-haired man said.

“ _Boyfriend._ ” Anti automatically corrected.

The man corrected himself. “Boyfriend. You’ll need a key to get his collar off, though. Damon or Max should have it. They should be in their offices on the right.”

Anti’s green eyes glowed as he glitched through the building. He ignored the men standing in the hallway, and marched straight up to the men that he could clearly see were in charge.

“K̵̡̮͓̻̦͚̬̠̦̯͒̊͒́͛̀̿͛̏͑̍͘E̴̫̯̪͚̲͙͙͉̥͍̹̺͌̅̾̾̊͜͝Y̵̡̟̱͔̟̜̆͐̓̉̊̈̊̚͘.̷̨̧͇̫͚͚̈́̿̓̑̒̚ ̵͇̣̣͖̳̥͇̲̘̿̓̃̋̅͆͆̆̐͂Ń̸̪̰̖̥̙̺̝̫͒͆̀̂̕͝Ö̷͍͕̲͔̜̗͐͗̈́̈́̑͗̕͜W̴̞͈̼̝͎̳̃̓͑̓͌.̶̣̣͇̟̄͛̿̆̈́̎” His hand found the throat of the man on the left, and he shoved his knife in his arm.

The man only smirked at him, jerking his head towards his partner. The other man rushed forward to grab Anti, only to have static fill his eyes and threads wrap around his body.

Anti yanked his blood-slicked knife out of the first man and turned to the other. “Key.”

He handed Anti the key.

Damon stared as blood began to leak from Maximus’s eyes, nose, and mouth. He turned to flee, only to run straight into Jackie. The hero’s eyes flashed and he grabbed the larger man. “You’re going to pay for this.”

——————

Anti sprinted down the hallway, and he could hear the others following not far behind him. He found Marvin tucked in the corner of his room, trembling. In the light, he could tell Marvin had lost significant weight. Black iron armlets decorated with glowing runes wrapped around his upper arms.

Anti glitched over to Marvin, kneeling down beside him. He recoiled when his skin came in contact with the metal. “What the fuck?” He grasped the armlets and gently slid them off Marvin’s arm, ignoring the weird sensation they gave off. The runes stopped glowing the moment they lost contact with Marvin’s skin.

Magic surged through Marvin’s body, finally free of its confines, and he jerked away from Anti. He cried out, curling into himself, because _it hurt, it hurt_ , and it wanted out _now_.

Marvin began convulsing on the floor, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Jackie screamed “GET DOWN!” as his magic exploded outwards from him in a massive eruption of power. It obliterated the walls surrounding him, rushing outwards and filling the hallways.

Anti stayed beside Marvin, the only being who could withstand the full might of his powers. He held him as he sobbed, his magic erupting from every pore of his body.

When it finally slowed to a trickle and then stopped completely, the others crept out of their hiding spots.

Anti was crouched on the floor, cradling Marvin.

His entire body shook as he held his limp body, broken sobs tearing themselves from his lungs. A wail, one that could only form from the breaking fragments of a soul, escaped his lips.

Jackie rushed over to Anti’s side, searching his brother for a pulse. He spun around, panic lacing every word as he cried out, “Henrik, I can’t find a pulse!”

Jameson crouched down beside Anti, placing a hand on his shoulder. Anti looked at him, and Jameson could see him shattering.

“Jamie, your watch won’t help Marvin.”

Jameson shook his head and tapped it.

Anti’s brows furrowed when he realized the watch had stopped ticking. “Jamie, what’s going on?”

He tapped it again.

Anti’s eyes widened, and he stared at it.

“Are you sure?” He whispered.

Jameson signed, “I’m sure,” and embraced him.

Gently, he placed the watch on Marvin’s chest above his heart, and turned the hands back on the clock. It glowed softly, and then appeared to melt into Marvin’s body.

* * *

He wasn’t sure how he sensed it, but he _felt_ something change in Marvin, and he turned to Henrik, panic overcoming his expression. He wasn’t going to lose his one chance to bring him back.

“Henrik, I need you to start giving him CPR.”

“Anti, I’m sorry, but I can’t—”

“JUST DO IT!” He screamed, eyes glowing once again.

Henrik relented. He began with chest compressions, and gently pushed Anti away when he moved to Marvin’s head, forcing air into his lungs. He could feel Anti watching, scrutinizing his every move, waiting for any indication that Marvin was alive. He himself was not hopeful, but he was willing to try.

A minute passed. Then five. Ten.

Nothing.

Anti growled, shoving Henrik aside, and began his own chest compressions. “Come on Marvin! Fight! Please…” the last word came out as a broken whimper. He pushed harder, and he could feel Marvin’s ribcage almost crack under the pressure, but he didn’t care. Not if it meant Marvin would come back. “Please,” he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goes on a giant posting spree and then leaves everybody on a cliffhanger…  
> Also, the original concept of the pocketwatch was that the price of using it would be JJ losing his voice, but I couldn't figure out how to incorporate it.


	15. Chapter 15

Marvin drifted in the darkness. He– his name was Marvin, right? He was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of enduring, tired of everything. He just wanted to sleep. He just wanted to—

A noise penetrated his thoughts. It was muffled, unclear, but it caught his attention. His gaze drifted upwards, and he could see the fuzzy outline of someone’s face above his body. Their features gradually came into focus, and… they looked kind of familiar. Marvin tilted his head, trying to remember who they were. A name popped into his mind. Anti! That was his name. But why was he important? He wracked his memory for answers. A hazy image popped into his mind of Anti sitting next to him, holding his hand while he was hooked up to a bunch of tubes and wires. Ok. So that helped a little. But it felt like he was missing something bigger. Another image drifted past him, and it was him and Anti, dancing under the stars on a balcony. Now it felt like he was getting closer, but he still wasn’t sure what it was. A full memory came to him, and in it he was… oh. He was still standing on the balcony, but now he was kissing Anti, their mouths moving together in sync, arms wrapped around each other, with the moon shining bright overhead. The final piece of the puzzle clicked in his head, and memories flooded his mind. He could glimpse a few as they passed by, but they moved too fast for him to see them clearly. It all came together, and he gasped. His name was Marvin the Magnificent, he had a twin named Jackieboyman, his friends were Jameson Jackson, Chase Brody, and Henrik von Schneeplestein, and he loved Anti. He looked up, seeing Anti’s face fade as he drifted downward, and he _fought_. He didn’t want to fade away, he didn’t want to die, he wanted to _live_. He kicked, and it was like he was swimming, as he fought, as he _clawed_ , his way to the surface. He felt a warmth enveloping his body, and then…

——————

Marvin gasped, and bile was rising in his throat, but he was _alive_. He was alive, and everything hurt, but it was ok because he was alive. He wanted to throw himself at Anti, but he knew he couldn’t right now, so he settled for gentle arms encircling his body as he clung to him. He laughed weakly, tears rolling down his face as he kissed Anti, and he was so, so glad that he was alive to do so. He reached out an arm for the others, and they surrounded them in one large embrace, and even though his body hurt as he was jostled around, he didn’t care, because it meant he was alive.

A noise sounded from the hallway, and the group turned towards it. Marvin let out a strangled cry as a familiar face came around the corner. He threw himself forwards, and the figure stumbled back as he suddenly suddenly found himself supporting Marvin’s weight.

“Marvin… okay?”

Marvin sniffed and wiped at his eyes with one hand while he clung to the young man with the other. “Yeah, I’m okay, Robbie.”

“Marvin, who is this?” Hernik asked as he watched them curiously.

“This is Robbie. He tried to help me escape.” Marvin stared at Robbie. “How did you survive?”

Robbie smiled sadly. “I… didn’t.” He pulled Marvin’s hand up and pressed it against his chest. “I’m not… alive.” Marvin’s eyes widened when he couldn’t feel a heartbeat. “I think the magic you released brought me back.”

Chase walked over. “So, you’re a zombie?”

Robbie nodded. “I guess so.” He thought for a moment. “Robbie the Zombie.” He giggled at the name and accidentally jostled Marvin, eliciting a wince as his body ached.

Anti glitched over to Marvin and took him from the zombie. Marvin snuggled against Anti’s chest and yawned. _He really wants a nap right now_.

Anti smiled and hugged his boyfriend closer to him. He glanced at Jackie.

 _Time to leave_ , he mouthed.

The hero nodded and stepped over pieces of the broken room as he made his way to the exit. Chase took Robbie’s hand and followed Henrik and Jameson out.

Anti looked down at his now-sleeping boyfriend and pressed a kiss against the symbols on his forehead.

The drive back was quiet but peaceful. Anti held Marvin the whole time, while Chase drove and Henrik spoke quietly to Robbie. At some point, Henrik fell asleep too, and Jameson and Robbie had their own silent conversation. Jackie sat next to Anti, who was also dozing with his head resting on his shoulder. The hero frowned when he realized that in the chaos and excitement, they had forgotten to remove Marvin’s collar.

He gently shook Anti’s shoulder. “Key?” He whispered.

The glitch blinked sleepily for a minute before passing Jackie the key and falling back asleep. With a soft click, the collar fell off from around Marvin’s neck and into Jackie’s awaiting hand. The hero stared at it and was tempted to throw it out the car window, but decided against it. He’d let his brother decide what to do with it later.

Marvin burned it the next day. As he watched it go up in flames, he whispered to himself, “My name is Marvin the Magnificent. And I am nobody’s pet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the original ending I had planned out was that Marvin would die… But hey! I didn't do that because I'm a sucker for happy endings. I also did shamelessly reference some of my other works in this.  
> Also, why doesn't Marvin just slide the armlets off himself? because plot and a little something called willing suspension of disbelief  
> Also, Marvin snore-purrs  
> Also also, I'm working on a little bonus chapter.
> 
> Lemme know what you thought of this.  
> Seriously, please comment or talk to me on here or on my Tumblr, because I'm LONELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	16. Alternate Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the original idea for the ending

Marvin drifted in the darkness. He– his name was Marvin, right? He was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of enduring, tired of everything. He just wanted to sleep. He just wanted to—

A noise penetrated his thoughts. It was muffled, unclear, but it caught his attention. He looked up, and he saw his boyfriend’s face above him. He knew he could go back, but he was so tired. If he went back, he’d just be returning to more pain. He’s tired of hurting. He doesn’t want to hurt anymore. He looked up one last time, a silent apology on his lips, and let himself drift into the darkness.

——————

Anti sobbed when he felt it. That Marvin gave up. He felt his heart crack in two, and he screamed. Screamed at the pain, at Marvin for not fighting, at the unfairness of it all. He thrashed against Jackie’s grip when he dragged him away, and the hero was crying too. Jameson put a hand on Anti’s arm, and the glitch broke down, hugging his little brother. Tears rolled down the mute man’s own face and he cried silently.

A noise sounded from the hallway, and the group turned towards the noise. A young man stood in the doorway to the room, and he let out a whimper when he saw Marvin’s lifeless body.

“Who the fuck are you?” Jackie snapped.

“My name is Robbie. I tried to help Marvin escape, but we were caught, and they killed me. I shouldn’t be alive, but Marvin’s magic must have brought me back.” Tears fell down the zombie’s face. “He said that we could be a family,” he whispered.

Chase stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Robbie. “I’m sorry that you had to go through that. We’ll take care of you now.”

——————

_He can’t breathe. He can’t breathe without Marvin, he can’t._

His eyes widened as he gasped, and he clung to Jameson harder.

Henrik knelt down in front of Anti. “Breathe. Breathe with me.”

Anti tried to follow the doctor’s instructions, but his breaths got faster and faster. The room spun around him and he whimpered.

His eyes rolled back and he passed out.

——————

Dark attended the funeral. The ceremony was conducted under gray skies, and Anti hated every moment of it. His tears watered the soil of Marvin’s grave.

The entity approached him at the end of the funeral. “I offer my condolences to you.”

Anti whirled towards Dark. “You could have done something!” He screamed. “You could have saved him, but you didn’t! Because your goddamn reputation is more important to you!”

Dark looked down, and his voice came out at barely above a whisper. “I… I’m sorry. I should have done something when I had the chance. I blame myself.” He dissolved into shadow and vanished.

Anti broke down and Jackie stepped forward to embrace the glitch.

“H-he s-should have done something,” he whimpered.

“He’s never going to forgive himself for it.” the hero told him. “But please try not to be too hard on him when you see him.”

Anti only nodded.

——————

His grief swallowed him whole. He couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink, couldn’t sleep. When he collapsed in the hallway on his way to the bathroom, Henrik finally confronted him.

“Anti, please. Marvin wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself. You need to take care of yourself,” the doctor begged.

The glitch stared at him blankly. He felt numb. Broken. A part of him was missing, a part that he could never get back. He glitched back to his and Marvin’s room and curled up on the bed.

He could still smell traces of Marvin on the pillow and in the sheets, and he hugged the pillow close to his body. Tears streamed down his face, and he let out a choked sob, burying his face in the pillow.

_He can’t. He can’t live without Marvin._

He summoned his knife into his hand and stared at the blade. It was his favorite, the one he always kept razor sharp, and it was a gift to him from Marvin. He raised the knife to his neck.

Anti took a deep breath, the last one he would ever take, and dragged the blade across his throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate myself for writing this.


	17. Bonus Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This follows the happy ending.

**1 Month Later**

Marvin jolted awake, a scream caught in his throat. Tears streamed down his face and he tried to muffle his cries behind his hand.

Anti stirred beside him. “Darling, what’s wrong?”

Marvin turned to his boyfriend with panic in his eyes. “R-Robbie’s gone, and it’s all my fault, it’s all my fault.”

Anti cupped Marvin’s face with his hands. “No he’s not. He’s here, and it’s not your fault. Shh, come on, I’ll show you.” He carried Marvin to Robbie’s room and opened the door quietly.

Inside, Robbie was curled up in between Chase and Henrik, all three asleep. Chase and Henrik both had a protective arm over the zombie, and Robbie looked completely at ease. Marvin relaxed and he tucked his face into the crook of Anti’s neck.

“See, he’s fine,” the glitch whispered.

Marvin yawned and nodded, drifting back to sleep. Anti walked back to their room, tucking him in, and climbed under the covers himself. He stroked the magician’s hair and Marvin purred softly against his chest.

God, he had missed this. He had hated sleeping alone, the space beside him empty and cold. He wrapped an arm around Marvin and fell asleep.

* * *

Robbie followed Henrik into the kitchen, where Chase stood at the stove, making pancakes. The zombie perked up when he smelled them, and Chase smiled and told him to sit at the table.

Marvin and Anti walked in a couple minutes later, and the magician was carrying Merlin, his black cat. Marvin gave Robbie a one-armed hug and the zombie petted the cat’s fur. He set Merlin on the floor to grab a can of cat food and the cat meowed at him. Robbie giggled when Marvin meowed right back at him.

Chase placed a plate of pancakes in front of Robbie and he dug in. The father turned to grab the others’ plates, when the zombie tugged on his sleeve.

He paused and swallowed his food, and looked up at Chase. “Thanks Dad.”

The father felt tears burn in the corners of his eyes and he wrapped Robbie in a tight hug. “You’re welcome, son.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take the FLUFF  
> Chase and Robbie have a father-son relationship, and Henrik also sees Robbie as his son. When Robbie has nightmares, one of two things will happen. Either Henrik and Chase come to comfort him, or Robbie goes to Chase and Henrik's room and curls up in between them.  
> Marvin also sees Robbie as a little brother.  
> Also, I don't know why, but in my head Marvin is around 6'3" and Anti is around 5'10". So Anti carrying Marvin is a little awkward, but Anti loves his boyfriend  
> I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope everybody enjoyed this!  
> Forgot to mention this earlier, but requests are open on my Tumblr. Rules are no smut, no reader x ego, and I'll need some kind of prompt.

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes, I scare myself with the amount of angst I can write.
> 
> Also started a new AU, which is a fantasy au.
> 
> Also also, is anybody interested in a Liquid Cat!Marvin chapter? (eh, if you're not, whatever, I'm writing it anyways)
> 
> Also also also, the level of lag in the google docs that I wrote this in isn't even funny at this point. It's 21 pages long and is glitchier than Anti himself
> 
> Also also also also (yick. why do I do that) I can also be found on Tumblr where I pretty much do nothing on there. My username is the same there as it is here, and I'm too lazy to actually copy and paste the link. I may start venting my personal feelings on there soon though, because sometimes I just like to pretend that I actually can express my emotions to others (without feeling major anxiety immediately after)
> 
> Also also also also also (ok, I'm done… I think) I'm trying to write a fic where some of the egos wear eyeshadow, but I legitimately know nothing about makeup even though I should, and I need suggestions for colors that they'd use. (I think green would be an obvious choice for Anti, but I'm curious if anyone has any better ideas. In this fic, Marvin has silver hair and turquoise eyes. Anti's eyes are an emerald green and his hair is a dark green. Dunno if that matters tho). If you have a picture of an idea you have, let me know on my tumblr.


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